Features

B.Positive Magazine promotes healthy living and encourages our readers to alter their habits so that we all have a chance to live a healthy lifestyle. As we prepare for “Thanksgiving ” this month we should also keep in mind that November is also “National Diabetes Prevention Month.” A recent study on metabolism and the immune system’s response was conducted by Diabetes Association-funded researcher, Gökhan Hotamisligil, MD, PhD, and his postdoctoral fellow Masato Furuhashi, MD, PhD at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts. In the study researchers demonstrate the occurrence of inflammation in mice as well as in humans for diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Now, postulated evidence points to a process called metaflammation. This process is triggered by the metabolism of nutrients when the body processes food into energy. For people living with Diabetes Type I and II, the process of converting food into energy is diminished. The decrease in this process can be detrimental to cells and eventually lead organ failure.

Dr. Hotamisligil explains, “When mice eat a normal diet, a molecule named PKR (RNA-dependent protein kinase) is silent. However, if a cell containing PKR is bombarded with too many nutrients, PKR grabs other immune system molecules that respond to this attack and organizes a firing squad to shoot down normal processes, leading to insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction.”

Researchers will now focus on the identifying which nutrients cause adverse effects. “One of the difficulties in understanding how our diet is integrated into disease risk is our inability to understand what specific component of a diet is actually regulating particular responses in humans,” says Dr. Hotamisligil. “So the discovery of this molecule actually gives us a very specific way to identify the harmful components of the diet.”

Results from follow up studies are pending, after which clinical trials would be conducted to find the potential drug or nutrients that could regulate PKR.

A few weeks ago you may recall Nightlife contributor Monica Byrd covering a story about the annual Arts, Beats, and Lyrics event hosted by Gentleman Jack. While attending the event I was able to get the chance to briefly speak with Patrick Scott, an Atlanta based musician, and exchange contact information. Patrick and I got a chance to talk more in dept over the phone about his music career and we manged to get a few laughs in at the end….. check out details of our conversation below!

TiffenyC. How old were you when you first started making music.
PatrickS. I always had a passion for music and began recording at the age of about 14 or 15. I loved listening to groups like Metallica. I would sing along to their music all the time.

TiffenyC. Wait so you were into hardcore metal, with all the screaming and stuff. [laughs]
PatrickS. Yes. I loved them. I was also inspired by artists such as John Mayer.

TiffenyC. So I know you play guitar from seeing you at the event, but what other instruments do you play outside of guitar?
PatrickS. I play several instruments including keys, bass, drums, harmonica, guitar and the mandolin

TiffenyC. Wow, your kind of a jack of all trades..[laughs] Who in the music industry right now would you say you sound the most like, in other words who would you compare your sound to?
PatrickS. If your referring to genre wise I would have to say The Fray, One Republic, John Mayer, and B.O.B.

TiffenyC. Wow, I love B.O.B. I think he represents real hip hop culture. So Patrick if you were given the opportunity to work with different artists of your choice who would you choose and why?
PatrickS. Hmm..I would have to say Dave from the Foo Fighters because he is so innovative. If it is a hip hop track maybe somebody like Andre 3000.

TiffenyC. So how exactly did you hear about Art, Beats, and Lyrics? How long have you been on traveling with the tour?
PatrickS. Its funny because that night was my first performance with Art, Beats, and Lyrics. I actually met Hustle, the guy who was rapping and the MC for the night, at a performance I had in Midtown Atlanta about 4-5 days before the event. Hustle walks in, started free-styling, and I was like he’s great. Next thing you know the group invited me to the Birmingham event. So it was my first time for everything.

TiffenyC. Really, you did really well for the first performance on tour. How is it touring and where are you guys heading off to next?
PatrickS. I drove to Birmingham myself but overall its a pretty cool atmosphere. The next performance is St. Louis, November 12th.

TiffenyC. What are you bringing different to the industry, what sets Patrick Scott apart from the other artist currently out?
PatrickS. One major thing is my writing ability, most musicians don’t do a lot of their own writing. I really just try to get my thoughts out and concentrate on what people really want to hear.

TiffenyC. Patrick where do you see yourself five years from now?
Patrick S. Definitely working with a few more artist. I would like to be pursuing music full time and have put out a full album with about three or four different genres. I also hope to do more hip hop.

TiffenyC. If you had to choose three words to describe yourself which three words would you choose?
PatrickS. Energetic, outgoing, and polite.

TiffenyC. If you had to write about three topics what topics would you choose to write about?
PatrickS. Of course one would automatically be relationships and women. The second one would be life in general and just how hard life can sometime get. I would talk about how you have to just stick with life no matter the outcome. Last I would talk about people loving people, and crossing racial boundaries.

TiffenyC. I think its important we cross racial boundaries. We could realize how much we all really have in common with each other if we just took time out to stop the hate and see.
PatrickS. Exactly

TiffenyC. So now is the really random and fun part of our interview. I’m just going to ask you very random questions that dont pertain to music at all. [laughs]
PatrickS. [laughs] Ok.

TiffenyC. If you had to go by an alias or a stage persona similar to Beyonce’s Sasha Fierce what would it be?
PatrickS. Well I actually use go by Patrick Hoydar, Hoydar is actually my real last name. No one could ever pronounce Hoydar and it was really confusing so I changed my stage name to Patrick Scott. Scott is my middle name.

TiffenyC. Oh okay. That’s so crazy. [laughs] So if you were trapped on an island what one item would you bring?
PatrickS. Given I have the essentials I would have to say my guitar one hundred percent.

TiffenyC. Lets say you win one million dollars and you have only a day to spend it, how would you spend your money?
PatrickS. I would have to definitely throw a few thousand to my parents and a lot would go to a music foundation I want to start. The foundation would serve as some type of after school function that was music related, so I would purchase guitars, amps, etc.

TiffenyC. Whats your most used phrase?
PatrickS. Its actually something really corny that I say all the time when I’m leaving or hanging up the phone, its Peace Out.

TiffenyC. Are you serious? That has to be an Atlanta thing because my best friend Bre attends college in Atlanta and she says Peace Out all the time. [laughs] I swear I say it all the time now too! Are you single or taken?
PatrickS. Happily taken. My girlfriend is very supportive and usually tries to come out and support me as much as she can.

TiffenyC. So were at the last question, its a really fun one. What super word would you make up? Similar to supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
PatrickS. Even though this is a word already I would have to say janky. I love that word.

TiffenyC. Well Patrick its been my pleasure to interview you. I hope we can keep in contact.
PatrickS. Definitely!

The good life, as I conceive it, is a happy life. I do not mean that if you are good you will be happy; I mean that if you are happy you will be good. ~Bertrand Russell

What’s up my B[+] Family??? I have a question for you: What have you done for YOU lately? Everyday we go through the same routines.Wake up, go to work/school, pick up the kids (if you have any), come home, cook/clean/work on a project, go to bed and repeat. Everyday (minus weekends for some of us) we treat each day like the last one: minus special circumstances and appointments, we assume that today will be just like yesterday…nothing special…nothing different. Sometimes we get so complacent with doing the “same old thing” that we forget that each day is a present and we must cherish it as such. I already know what you’re thinking, “It’s hard to cherish anything with these bills/grades/kids/stress always in my face!”, but you’re wrong. To cherish something or someone you must simply appreciate it and acknowledge it’s value.

I’ve always tried to cherish the people that I love and respect the most by doing small but meaningful things for them. Whether it’s a smiley face text the day of a big test or bringing their favorite food to work with me. It made me feel good to know that I could make someone else feel special. Yep, I felt so happy to make others happy but after all that, I would always feel like I had forgotten something or someone. It took me a minute to realize that what/whom I forgotten was MYSELF.

It’s so easy to go about your daily routine and constantly give to everything and everyone around you, and forget about yourself, but honestly, that’s not working for me anymore. Recently, I discovered that the only way I can really be a great service to others is to be a great service to myself. So everyday, I do something just for me. I might get dressed up for no reason or listen to my favorite station on Pandora or just lay in the bed an extra ten minutes. I can and will do whatever little thing I deem necessary to make myself happy. This is a not selfish or egotistical thing, it’s just something I feel that I must do for me.

B [+] fam, it is perfectly okay to love, respect, and cherish yourself. YOU deserve a little slice of happiness so stop neglecting yourself and take it! I LOVE BEING HAPPY and you should too. So often we assume that in order to be happy we must acquire something that we don’t currently have, but what we fail to realize is that everything we need has already been placed within us. Happiness is a frame of mind; YOU control your own happiness, others can merely try to contribute. So while I still want you to help others, serve the community, and give of yourself unconditional, I also want you to make sure you’re helping, serving, and giving TO yourself as well. If you make a mistake today, it’s okay don’t let mistakes, regrets, and bad days make you feel inadequate or make you want to punish yourself. Please remember that each and every day is just another chance to get things right. So smile! Enjoy that piece of cake, take the long way home so you can play your favorite song on repeat, curl up with a good book, or take that personal time you’ve accumulated: You deserve it!

With about one week left to what is expected to be one of the biggest weekend turnouts ever, have you decided what to do for Magic City Classic 2010?

The Magic City Classic is an annual football game featuring two rival schools, Alabama A&M University and Alabama State University. The game usually takes place at Legion Field in Birmingham, Al on the last Saturday in the month of October. There are many events surrounding The Magic City Classic; there is the annual parade [usually with a celebrity grand marshal] followed by various tailgating events, the football game and after hour entertainment. The highlight during the Magic City Classic is usually not the game itself, but whose band took the crown during the half-time show.

In case you are wondering what to expect, crowd goers can expect to walk down the streets of Legion Field hearing various genres of music, seeing a variety of vendors, and gawking over all the latest trends. The Magic City Classic is sure to have an event for everyone of all ages and social statuses.

Below are a few fliers covering the after hours entertainment. Check them out so you can be sure to check out all the hottest spots! For a more detailed list of The Magic City Classic events please click here.